Paul "Skip" Rickert, a veteran tour manager, producer, and accountant with more than 30 years of experience working with many of music's top artists, has been named Tour Director for Carlos Santana and the Santana Band. The appointment was announced by Michael Vrionis, CEO of Universal Tone Management, which handles Carlos Santana's personal management, and Cristalino, Inc., the corporate entity that encompasses all Santana-related businesses. Rickert has managed all of Santana's

Shape Shifter, the new album from Carlos Santana and the Santana Band, debuted this week at #16 in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 top-selling albums chart, and at #2 on the indie chart. It is Santana's 13th Top 20 album debut, and the group's 30th top 200 charting release overall. It follows up 2010's Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time­, which made Santana the only act in Billboard history, other than the Rolling Stones, to score at least one Top Ten

Carlos Santana and the Santana Band announce six special co-headlining concerts with The Allman Brothers Band during July 2012. The dates kick off July 22 at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Lake, NY, and wrap July 30 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. Highlights also include shows at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on July 24, and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on July 25. Tickets for the six dates begin going on-sale May 4

Shape Shifter is Carlos Santana's 36th album, and the first for his new label, Starfaith Records. Set for release May 15, the 13-song set is an instrumental tour de force featuring tracks spanning from the late 1990's to the present. It's powered throughout by Carlos' instantly recognizable virtuoso lead guitar and the Santana Band's world-class musicianship (only one song features vocals from Santana's lead vocalists Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay). Pre-sale of Shape Shifter begins today, March 27, at all major online outlets including iTunes, Amazon and more. Starfaith Records is distributed and marketed in conjunction with RED Distribution

LAS VEGAS, Feb.